Military Families Enjoy Free Admission This Summer
VDM joins over 2,000 Blue Star Museums to say thank you to service members
May 31, 2016 | Back to Blog & News
The Virginia Discovery Museum joins thousands of museums across America this summer to offer free admission to the nation’s active duty military personnel, including the National Guard and Reserve, and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2016 as part of the Blue Star Museums program.
VDM will also extend free admission to retired service members and veterans during this period.
A collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and the Department of Defense, this initiative provides military families an opportunity to enjoy the nation's cultural heritage, learn more about their new communities after a move, and reconnect after deployment.
“The Blue Star Museums program is also a perfect way for the arts community to say ‘thank you’ to our service members and their families for the sacrifices they make on our behalf, every day,” NEA Chairman Jane Chu said.
This year, more than 2,000 museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa are taking part in Blue Star Museums, including dozens of children’s museums, fine arts museums, science museums, history museums, and nature centers.
The program is available to any bearer of a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), a DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card, which includes active duty U.S. military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps – and up to five family members. Some special or limited-time museum exhibits may not be included in this free admission program. For questions on particular exhibits or museums, please contact the museum directly.